Thunderbolt via HD Native box vs. Strictly Thunderbolt

[TheGrobinson]

Curious question comes to mind now that I'm starting to see interfaces with a combination of Thunderbolt and Digilink I/O

I can hook a Focusrite Red Pre8 to my Mac via Thunderbolt and work in PTHD or PT Vanilla just the same. The same hardware unit offers digilink connectivity. To use this I'm going to need to get my hands on a HD native box ($700 after market?) to ultimately go to Thunderbolt and connect my Darth Trashcan Mac Pro.

The point of my observation is the question, what can be gained by not going Thunderbolt the whole way and using Avid's Digilink and Native I/O box instead?


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[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by TheGrobinson

The point of my observation is the question, what can be gained by not going Thunderbolt the whole way and using Avid's Digilink and Native I/O box instead?

Primarily the 32 channel I/O limit.

Also, if Focusrite mimicked the Avid boxes delay exactly, hardware inserts and anything "timing" related would be more accurate and automatic.

LLM mode might be better tighter??

http://www.avid.com/pro-tools/compare

[propower]

The Red 4Pre does not accurately mimic an HD I/O. The D/A and A/D are slightly longer than an HD i/O making all accurate pacing of audio on timeline and inserts off

Data I took when I had a Red 4PRE
Red 4pre

96kHz (HDX)
RTL = 0.576ms no sub master straight in and out
(AVID I/O is 0.48ms)
RTL = 0.62ms with one submaster
(AVID I/O is 0.52ms)
RTL = 0.912ms with loopback error fix
(AVID I/O is 0.52ms)
Loopback error is 35 samples late

About 0.4ms hit for getting loopback working right
Using I/O insert ADAT2 to ADAT1
RTL = 0.912 (one sub master)
Setting HW delay comp to 1.1ms gets loopback error to be zero - no effect on RTL

Logic w/ Thunderbolt - 44.1
RTL = 2.86ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!
Logic 48
RTL = 2.6ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!
Logic 88.2
RTL = 1.84ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!
Logic 96
RTL = 1.7ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!

[Hud]

Hi propower, thanks, interesting…but I notice you are using Ensemble TB, surely that doesn’t have latency issues with PT?
Edit: sorry just noticed you posted that in 2017 hehe! Ok things have moved on.
Cheers
H

Originally Posted by propower

The Red 4Pre does not accurately mimic an HD I/O. The D/A and A/D are slightly longer than an HD i/O making all accurate pacing of audio on timeline and inserts off

Data I took when I had a Red 4PRE
Red 4pre

96kHz (HDX)
RTL = 0.576ms no sub master straight in and out
(AVID I/O is 0.48ms)
RTL = 0.62ms with one submaster
(AVID I/O is 0.52ms)
RTL = 0.912ms with loopback error fix
(AVID I/O is 0.52ms)
Loopback error is 35 samples late

About 0.4ms hit for getting loopback working right
Using I/O insert ADAT2 to ADAT1
RTL = 0.912 (one sub master)
Setting HW delay comp to 1.1ms gets loopback error to be zero - no effect on RTL

Logic w/ Thunderbolt - 44.1
RTL = 2.86ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!
Logic 48
RTL = 2.6ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!
Logic 88.2
RTL = 1.84ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!
Logic 96
RTL = 1.7ms 32 buffer - Logic displays correct value!